Microbial Rhodopsins: The Last Two Decades
Andrey Rozenberg, Keiichi Inoue, Hideki Kandori, Oded Béjà
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsins are diverse photoreceptive proteins containing a retinal chromophore and are found in all domains of cellular life and are even encoded in genomes of viruses. These rhodopsins make up two families: type 1 rhodopsins and the recently discovered heliorhodopsins. These families have seven transmembrane helices with similar structures but opposing membrane orientation. Microbial rhodopsins participate in a portfolio of light-driven energy and sensory transduction processes. In this review we present data collected over the last two decades about these rhodopsins and describe their diversity, functions, and biological and ecological roles.
Topics & Concepts
BiologyTransmembrane proteinThree-domain systemEvolutionary biologyEcologyGenomeComputational biologyGeneticsGeneReceptorPhotoreceptor and optogenetics researchRetinal Development and DisordersNeuroscience and Neural Engineering